


The Summer in Iowa

by taylor_renae



Series: 50 Pavel/Joanna AU's [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, modern farmhouse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 13:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taylor_renae/pseuds/taylor_renae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joanna loved going to her father and his boyfriend, Jim's ranch in Iowa for the summer. She loved the relief from the Georgian heat, riding the horses, seeing the Russian farmhand, Pavel... Despite any of them knowing, this was the summer things would change for everyone.<br/>Yes, the title sucks because "Summer of Love" was far too cheesy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of Summer

Joanna loved her Dad and Jim's farm house in Iowa. She went every summer since she was seven years old, when she was out of school, and spent the entire two and a half months there, having to be practically dragged back home by her mother and stepfather. She would start packing everything she needed for the summer two days before school let out, so she was ready to get on the plane the first day of summer break. Her mother would always see her off to the plane every year, and Joanna thought it was always unecessary how much she worried about the plane ride.

"I've been doing this every year since I was 7, Mama, I'll be fine," she always reassured Jocelyn, "Daddy 'n Jim will pick me up as soon as I land, and we'll give you a call as soon as we get to the house,"

Her mother always pursed her lips, and Joanna would giggle, then give her a big hug. Her mother would laugh fondly and return the hug. Joanna would land in Cedar Rapids, Iowa 2 hours and 18 minutes after her departure from the SIA. Her Daddy and/or Jim would pick her up when she got off the plane, and they would drive another 45 minutes to the ranch just outside Riverside. The time change in Iowa was only an hour later than in Georgia, but after over 3 hours of driving, flying, and more driving, it was dark by the time she arrived at the ranch, and she was still exhausted. She would be greeted by Daddy and Jim, and, for the past four years, the young farm hand, Pavel Chekov, before going to bed. This year was no exception.

Pavel was two years older than Joanna, and had been taken in by her Daddy and Jim, working in exchange for food, education, and a place to live. Pavel went to the Riverside public school in the fall and, as Joanna was told, was getting a scholarship. She and Pavel had been good friends since she was fourteen, when he first came to the ranch, and, she had to admit, she had a little crush on him. She suspected it was gently, but caustiously, requited, until the year previous, when he had confessed his feelings to her the night of her departure, as they sat on the roof looking at the stars, while her Daddy and Jim loaded up the truck. She remembered how Pavel had smiled at her under the light of the August moon, and whispered in her ear his affections for her, and kissed her gently on the cheek, his lips lingering for a moment. She had blushed and laughed in joy, not caring if Daddy or Jim heard her, and told Pavel what she had wanted to for three years.

Joanna got on the plane at 3pm. She had tried to take a nap during the plane, but she was far too excited for sleep. She got carsick every time she tried to read, or, planesick, rather. So really, all she could do for the entire 2 hours and 18 minutes was sit in her seat and wring her hands. When she landed in Cedar Rapids, she exited the terminal with her duffel bag slung over her shoulders and her overstuffed suitcase in hand, searching the crowd for a familiar face. She spotted a familiar, neat tuft of dark brown hair above the crowd, and speedwalked towards it. He hadn't spotted her yet. She didn't take her eyes off his face until she was sure he saw her coming towards him. The scowl on his face evaporated, his eyes lighting up, and his lips parting slightly. She broke into a run.

He met her half-way and scooped her up in his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs wrapping around his hips, like she was still a seven-year-old. She laughed and squealed into his shoulder, "Daddy!" as he held her tight and rocked her slightly, responding with a fond, "Hey, Jo-Jo,".

He set her down after a moment, and looked her up and down. His eyebrows knotted together and he shook his head, frowning, then looked back into her eyes, "Joanna. My Joanna. Seventeen," he gave a small sigh, "you get bigger and older each year,"

Joanna giggled, "Well, yeah, Daddy, that's how the general concept of time works,"

Her father scoffed slightly, then grumbled, "Unfortunately,"

Joanna giggled again, then wrapped her arms back around his neck, and again, he lifted her up in another hug, "I missed you, Daddy,"

"I missed you too, Jo,"

When they had finished their greatly anitcipated greeting, Joanna's father picked up her dufflebag, which she had discarded on the floor at his feet when she had jumped into his arms, slung it over his shoulders, took the handle of her suitcase with one hand, and took her hand with his free one, leading her out of the airport, and towards his old pickup truck. Joanna didn't care if she was seventeen, she only saw her father for two and a half months every year, maybe with the exception of a few weeks in December every good once in a while, and she held her Daddy's hand with enthusiasm, only flushing slightly in embarrassment and rolling her eyes when he made her stop and look both ways before crossing the street. But she still giggled and covered her reddening cheeks with the back of his big hand before complying. She had missed him so much, and she didn't believe she would ever stop being his little girl.

The Iowa sun didn't burn nearly as hot as the Georgian sun, and for that, Joanna was relieved. It was always hot in Georgia, and it never snowed where she lived in the winter months. She absolutely loved the few times she'd gone to Iowa in the winter to share a Christmas with her father and Jim, when it was snowing. Up until her first visit to Iowa in the winter when she was eight, she had never in her life seen snow. Her father and Jim always went outside with her when she played in the snow, whether they played in it with her, or just watched her from the porch, just to see the pure joy and wonder etched onto her features. When she was little, these details weren't really details to her; they just happened, and she didn't really give them too much thought. Those memories just allowed her to feel what she had been feeling at the time, and re-experience them again and again. But now that she was older, Joanna could really appreciate them. One of her favorite details was that sending Jo to Iowa was her mother's idea. She knew that Joanna had never seen snow before, and she had given up spending Christmas with her just so she could experience a white Christmas with her father and his boyfriend.

Her Daddy placed her suitcase and duffel bag in the truck bed, and opened Joanna's door for her, closing it once she climbed in. He smiled at her before starting up the truck and pulling out of the airport parking lot and beginning the drive to Riverside. He asked her how school had gone; what grades she had (Straight A's), what classes she liked, what teachers she liked, her friends and what they were up to, whether she had a boyfriend yet (To which she denied and blushed far too deep to not promote suspicion on her father's part. But, if he did see through her, he didn't let on). He asked how home living was; whether or not she had redecorated her room like she had proposed to him the summer previous (To which she smiled and couldn't help but beam a little. He had always remembered everything she told him, even if it was just small-talk, he remembered), and how her mother and step-father were. He asked how she was doing and feeling in general; if there was anything abnormal in her studing, sleeping, eating, menstral (To which Joanna had flushed and giggled slightly in humiliation [Yes, the man was her father and a doctor, but some things she liked keeping to herself]) patterns, and how many times she had gotten sick over the school year and with what each time, stuff like that. Small-talk that was pleasant, comfortable (With the exception of talk about her menstral cycles), and involved. She couldn't really give an example of when her trips to Iowa weren't pleasant once she was with her Daddy, Jim, and/or Pavel.

-~-

Joanna must have fallen asleep about twenty minutes into the drive, because the next thing she knew, she was peeling her tired eyes open to her door being opened, and Jim's beaming face appeared, accompanied by the cool, early-evening air. She squealed his name and leaped into his open arms.

Jim laughed, "Hey Jo-Jo! Miss me?" Joanna responded with a half-hearted scoff pressed into his shoulder.

Jim held her for a little longer, then set her down and pressed an obnoxious kiss to her cheek, smiling again before turning away to help her father take Joanna's bags up to her room. With both of them distracted, Joanna turned to Pavel.

He smiled at her in a way that she felt showed his adoration for her, and smiled back, hoping to match his expression with her own. He bent his knees, wrapped his arms tightly aroung her waist, and lifted her up so she was just above eye-level with him. His eyes searched her face for a moment (Incidentally, the exact moment Jim and her father had entered the house and could no longer see them), and then whispered, "I meesed you,"

Joanna shuddered slightly, snaking her arms around his neck. She loved his accent. Especially when he whispered to her.

"I missed you, too," she sang.

He beamed at her before sobering a bit, "Do you remember what I told you last summer?"

"Of course," she smiled broadly at him, before leaning forward and booping his nose with her own and making their foreheads touch. He grinned back just as wide and kissing the tip of her nose and setting her back on her feet. Taking her hand in his own, they began striding to the house.

"So," Pavel began, sticking his free hand into the pocket of his light blue jeans, "you are sewenteen now, da? What haff you been up to?"

"Oh, you know," she teased, swinging their joined hands back and forth playfully, "kissing boys, consuming unhealthy amounts of drugs, alcohol and junk food, and flunking all my classes on the side,"

Pavel gave her a sidelong glance with an odd look on his face, and Joanna responded with a look utter seriousness before both of them burst into laughter. Just before stepping onto the porch, he asked, "Joanna? You deedn't really kiss any boys and flunk all your classes, deed you?"

She laughed heartily again before shaking her head and responding, "No, Pasha, of course not,"

Pavel stopped in his tracks, jarring Joanna back unintentionally, for she had still been walking, and stared at her with a wide-eyed, unreadable expression. "What?" she questioned, concerned.

He didn't respond. He just grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her into a rough kiss, his hands slowly migrating to hold her around her waist and hips as he deepened the passionate kiss. She grunted in surprise before slowly melting into him, running her fingers through his hair. When he pulled back, she subconsiously leaned forward, chasing his lips with her own. She felt so lightheaded she released his hair and clutched his white T-shirt to keep herself steady, "Pavel...?"

"How deed you know to call me Pasha?" he asked, holding her sides almost urgently.

"Uh- I-" Joanna tried to regain her composure, attempting-and most likely failing-to not look ruffled by Pavel's sudden romantic actions, "uh, I read somewhere that the nickname for Pavel is "Pasha". What was that all about?"

He just fixed her with a look that made her feel like she the most important thing in the universe. He shook his head fondly, "Nozheen," he smiled and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering for a moment, just like he had when he told her he loved her on the roof the previous summer, "Goodnight, Joanna,"

He gave her one last fond smile before turning and exiting the house, heading towards the spare room in the loft in the barn in which he slept. Joanna blushed, bit her lip, then began trotting upstairs for bed.


	2. The End of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's two months after the events of Beginning of Summer, and Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy are getting married.

The date was August 6th, 2014. The day of Leonard McCoy and James T. Kirk's wedding.

Pavel had known since May 7th, when Leonard first propsed to Jim. They both made Pavel swear he wouldn't tell Joanna, and he promised he wouldn't. They told her the evening she returned to the ranch from her home in Georgia. Pavel could hear her joyous squeals and Jim and the doctor's laughter from his room in the loft upstairs in the barn. Both her room's and his's windows had been open, and he had laughed at how happy she sounded. He remembered how happy he had been, too.

Jim had taken Pavel to pick out and buy a suit a week previous. Joanna had wanted to help him find one, but the doctor said no, which had made Pavel's stomach drop, thinking the doctor knew about the relationship he and Joanna had established those two months she had been at the ranch. Fitting it in the store in town, Pavel thought it was ridiculous and he squirmed, but Jim insisted it was perfect, "And," Jim had said, coming up behind Pavel as he fidgeted in the mirror, "I know Joanna will love it,"

Pavel had swallowed nervously and eyed Jim in the mirror, terrifyed. But Jim just smiled at him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. He wasn't exactly sure if Jim was just saying it because Joanna was the only girl (around) his age he had ever had a very close friendship with, or if Jim knew, or at least suspected, of Joanna and Pavel's relationship, but either way, Jim didn't look in any way upset.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Pavel began to think that Jim had been right; it did look pretty good, and, hopefully, Joanna would like it. The suit was a three-piece, with charcoal grey slacks, a matching tie, vest, and jacket-which Pavel probably wouldn't be wearing, for it was pretty hot that day, but decided he would bring anyway. He buttoned the vest over the crisp white shirt and tie, then straightened his clothes one last time before grabbing the jacket, which had been draped over one of the wooden chairs, and trodded down the stairs, heading towards the main house.

Pavel entered and stood in the atrium, noting how quiet it was. He turned and looked out the screen door, listening to the bugs and faint neighing of the horses in the distance. Of course he hadn't heard her coming down the stairs on the other side of the house, or padding across the kitchen and into the living room to the left of the doorway. He really hadn't heard her at all until she spoke to him.

"Pasha?" Joanna called gently, "Will you zip me up, please?"

Pavel, slightly startled, turned to her, and nearly had a heart attack. Joanna stood near the fireplace, wearing a beautiful champagne colored dress, which was unzipped, showing practically her entire back, giving Pavel the urge to touch her bare skin. He swallowed before stepping forward, tossing his jacket onto the couch closest to her. He took a moment to observe her flawless skin; it, like the rest of her complexion, was rather tan, not as tan as her father, but much more so than Pavel's own pale skin.

The dress's zipper went down very low. Very, very low. It ended just above her rear, and Pavel practically broke into a sweat just reaching out and holding the bottom of the zipper steady with one hand while gripping the actual zipper with the other. Pulling the zipper up, he noticed how it gripped her curvy sides, and he swallowed again. He secured the zipper, and Joanna turned around. Once again, he swallowed, and this time he really did break into a sweat. The front of the dress was, as one would expect, was even better looking than the back. It was low-cut and hugged her curves perfectly, with black lace that swirled around the dress's shoulders and chest, then slithered down in several swirls to pool at the bottom. She wore matching black heels that had straps wrapping around her bare feet in intricate patterns and a gold ring in the shape of a knot around her finger. Her hair was curled into impossibly beautiful loose spirals that were to one side.

"Y-You look beautiful, Joanna," he stammered out

"Thank you," she blushed and smiled at him, before looking him up and down. He watched as her lips parted and a smile of delight crept onto her pink lips, "You look wonderful, Pavel,"

He smiled, a bit disbelievingly, "Jim said you would like eet,"

"He was right," she giggled, reaching up and smoothing out his shoulders. Her hands stilled after a moment, and then slid slowly down his chest as he grinned fondly at her and placed his own hands on her hips. She smirked and lifted herself onto her tip-toes as he leaned down to meet her. Standing on her tip-toes wasn't really necessary, for he was only three inches taller than she was, at the most, but she didn't care. Just before he captured her lips with his own, they heard footsteps plopping down the stairs. They separated, sending sidelong glances towards each other as Pavel reached for his jacket from the couch and Joanna bit her lip and giggled.

Jim hopped to the floor from the stairs and strode towards them happily, smiling, "Jo, you look gorgeous!" he remarked as he scooped her up into a hug.

"Thank you, Jim," she giggled and he set her down, kissing her cheek and cupping it with one hand, while brushing a stray curl away from her eyes with the other. He gave her another wide smile, which she returned before kissing his cheek.

He turned to Pavel, "I told you it was perfect!" Pavel smiled and nodded in agreement, Jim turned back to Joanna, "What do ya think, Jo? Does he look great or what?"

She giggled again and nodded, meeting Pavel's eyes as she said, "he does,"

Pavel blushed, hoping neither of them saw him doing so. He and Jim shook hands good-naturedly and Jim clapped him on the back before turning to the sound of another pair of footsteps on the stairs.

Jim turned and looked to Doctor McCoy entering the kitchen from the stairs, fidgeting with the collar of his black suit. He released it when he glanced up and saw the three of the, standing near the fireplace, Joanna at his right, Jim on his left, and Pavel in the middle. He smiled as he approached Joanna.

"You look beautiful, Jo," he said as he scooped her up in a hug.

Wrapping her arms around his neck she replied, "Thank you, Daddy. You look wonderful,"

"Thanks, baby," he set her back down and turned his glance to Pavel. He blinked in what Pavel recognized as moderate shock before scowling at Jim, "I told you to get him a suit, not doll him up like a choirboy at the Vatican,"

Jim snorted and clapped a hand on Pavel's left shoulder as he flushed. Joanna took Pavel's hand and chided playfully, "Daddy! He looks fine,"

Leonard rolled his eyes but Pavel saw the fond smirk playing at his lips. He kissed Joanna's cheek before clapping a hand on Pavel's right shoulder and beginning to leave the house, Jim by his side.

Pavel could tell Joanna was giddy with excitement as she pulled him after them by the hand. He chuckled and followed her out the front door, where Leonard's truck sat, the bed occupied with Jim and Leonard's suitcases, ready for the honeymoon. Jim told them he'd see them at the church, and drove away in the rickety old pickup truck Pavel and Joanna would be riding home in. Pavel helped Joanna into the truck bed-although she had giggled and argued she didn't need any help-before hopping in himself, Leonard starting up the truck once Pavel had closed the door.

The drive to the Riverside church wasn't too far; just half an hour, but Joanna had still fallen asleep on her father's shoulder, starling herself awake when they pulled into the dirt parking lot of the chruch behind Jim, parking in the second farthest spot in the corner of the lot, boxing Jim in and leaving plenty of room for the other guests. While they were stepping out, another car pulled into the lot, pulling up next to Leonard's truck.

Pavel recognized the car as belonging to Professor Spock, who would be at the university Pavel would be attending in the fall. He was excited to be going to college in general, but it would be nice to have someone he knew being one of his professors. Spock was an old friend of the family, who was dating another old friend of the family, Nyota Uhura, who helped teach Pavel to speak english thoroughly when he first came to the states. He had known a little english, but not nearly enough.

Once the car parked, Uhura stepped out of the passenger side, wearing a beautiful black one-shoulder dress with a white sash around the waist and black heels much like Joanna's, but the straps wrapped around her feet in straight lines instead of loopy ones, while her glossy, mahogany hair was pulled back into an intricate fashion, ending in a ponytail, her curled bangs escaping and framing her face. Spock rounded the front of the car and came up behind Uhura, taking her waist as they approached.

She smiled broadly at Jim and Leonard, "Big day!"

Jim laughed and hugged her, then shook Spock's hand as Leonard followed suit. Once Leonard release her and had turned to converse with Spock and Jim, Uhura approached Pavel and Joanna, giving her a hug and remarking, "Oh, Jo, I told knew that dress was perfect,"

Joanna returned the hug as she enthusiastically giggled, "Thank you, Nyota. You look lovely,"

Uhura smiled at her before turning to Pavel and pulling him in for a hug as well, "Pavel, you look wonderful. Did Jo help you pick out that suit?"

"No," he replied, as they released each other, "Jim deed"

"Oh," Uhura chortled, and, if Pavel didn't know any better, he would say she looked almost embarrassed as she glanced sidelong at Joanna. Pavel swallowed and tried his hardest not to look flushed.

Another truck pulled into the lot, and Pavel recognized it as belonging to the farrier, Hikaru Sulu. Sure enough, Sulu stepped out and walked to the passenger side, where not only Scotty, an old friend exited, but also Carol Marcus. Pavel remembered hearing something about planning to carpool last time he saw them all when they were having dinner a few weeks back, when Jim and Leonard had announced their engagement.

Sulu gave a friendly greeting to Jim, Leonard, and Spock while Nyota approached Carol and Scotty, hugging them both. Sulu then noticed Pavel and Joanna standing off to the side and beckoned to them. They strode to him and he met them half-way, wrapping Jo up into a tight hug and lifting her playfully off the ground. Setting her back down, he kissed her cheek and told her she looked beautiful, his hands lingering at her waist. Pavel felt a hot, unreasonable feeling of possession creep into him before trying to shake it, feeling ridiculous for it. Sulu was his friend, for goodness' sake. Pavel shook the last of the intruding feeling as Sulu turned his wide smile to him.

"Pavel," he shook his hand and tugged him into a one-armed hug, "lookin' snazzy," he joked, straightening Pavel's vest, "did Jo help you pick this out?"

Pavel flushed again, and glanced sidelong at Joanna again, who met his eyes, looking bewildered and disbelieving, "Uh, n-no, Jim deed,"

"Oh, sorry," Sulu chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder and smiling at them both again before turning to Uhura and greeting her as well. Once he was out of earshot, Pavel turned to Joanna.

"Why does eweryone sink you helped me pick zhis out?"

Joanna's expression matched his own as she half-whispered, half-mouthed a reply, "I don't know,"

Pavel and Joanna both quietly agreed with as little words as possible to keep at an acceptable distance from each other as long as is deemed possible for the rest of the wedding and reception. Although Pavel believed it wouldn't be too long before they broke that agreement wordlessly. In fact, he was kind of hoping they would, as more cars and trucks began arriving to begin the ceremony.

-~-

A half-hour after the last guest had arrived, everyone had been settled into their seats with a clear view of the alter. In the front row, Pavel sat next to Joanna (having already broken their agreement), who sat next to Winona Kirk, Jim's mother. From his understanding, neither him nor Joanna had met her before, although there wasn't much introduction, for as soon as she shook his hand, the ceremony had begun, and the preacher asked everyone to take their seats. Winona seemed like a charming, lovely woman, if a little distant.

When Jim and Leonard started to exchange vows they made for each other, Joanna subtly reach over and took Pavel's hand. He smiled to himself, listening to Jim and Leonard, and stroking Joanna's soft hand with his thumb. It wasn't until she began squeezing his hand that he realised she was crying. Joanna was a completely silent crier, and Pavel was shocked for just a moment, seeing the tears fall down her cheeks. She looked beautiful when she cried, and Pavel felt awful for thinking that, even though it was true. He recovered from his shock and shook away the guilt before pulling her in close to him. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, angling herself so she could still see Jim and Leonard. Their legs were flush against each other, and Pavel snaked his arm around her waist, gently brushing away her tears with his thumb before taking her left hand with his free one. He kissed her hair lightly, checking to make sure Leonard wasn't looking. He wasn't. He was too focused on Jim.

Pavel didn't like weddings. He hadn't since the last one he had attended. There was nothing wrong with his aunt's wedding, in fact, he had rather enjoyed it. It was the fact that his mother, Anna, died two weeks after it. His father, Andrei, had practically begged her not to go, for she was very sick, but she wanted to attend her sister's wedding so badly. It had made both Pavel and his father happy, seeing her as joyous as she was that day. At first, they thought it had made her a little better, but, if anything, it had just made her much worse. Pavel gripped Joanna's hand tighter.

He was having a good time, however, which gradually allowed him to push the memory away. He realised he had never told Joanna about his mother. He believed he would, someday, though. Yes. He definitely would.

Joanna must have noticed Pavel strengthening his grip on her hand, because she picked her head off his shoulder and met his eyes, waiting for a lull in the speeches before whispering, "Are you alright, Pasha?"

Her adressing him by his childhood nickname accompanied with her endearing southern drawl both saddened and exhilirated him. He subtly took a deep breath and smiled at her, "I'm alright, Joanna,"

She smiled back at him, and he noticed she must have stopped crying a while ago, for her eyes were no longer rimmed with red. She kissed him gently on the cheek before resuming her previous position, snuggling up to him comfortably. The smell of her calmed and soothed him, and he pushed the old memory back completely, holding her tight all the while, as Jim and Leonard kissed, closing the ceremony, and the guests stood and erupted into loud cheering and clapping. Joanna laughed happily, and he couldn't help but laugh, too.

-~-

The reception was wonderful, and Pavel couldn't remember a time when Doctor McCoy had ever smiled so brightly. Of course, he smiled brightly at Joanna and Jim, and sometimes even Pavel himself, but never as blindingly bright as then. Joanna taking him by the hand and dragging him over to them, along with all the sensations and happy energy all around overwhelmed him, and he soon found himself laughing joyously, which made Joanna laugh while she skipped to her father and new step-father.

"Jo!" Jim declared as she reached him.

She giggled and chimed, "Hi, Step-Daddy!"

He lifted her up in a hug while Leonard turned to Pavel, "You're sure you two'll be alright alone this week?"

Pavel gulped, "Yis sir, of course, sir," Ahh, yes. While Jim and Leonard were on their honeymoon for the week, Joanna and Pavel would be alone on the ranch until the 13th, the wednesday before Joanna left for Georgia. Jim and Leonard had discussed it with them after they decided on the length and location of the honeymoon. He remembered how pink Joanna had turned, and how sure he was that he had flushed the same color.

Leonard smile at him and clapped his shoulder, "Alright, good man," he remarked before turning back to Joanna. He held his arms open, and she rushed into them, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm proud of you, Daddy," she said into his shoulder. He chuckled and said, "Thank you, Jojo,"

After a moment, Joanna kissed his cheek before Leonard set her back down. Joanna took his hand as he, Jim, and Pavel began navigating their way out of the church, all bidding fond farewells to family and friends as they went, to where Leonard's truck sat, ready to go.

When they reached it, Jim and Leonard holding hands, as well as Joanna and Pavel holding each other's (Out of the former's view, of course), they saw someone (Most likely Scotty and Sulu) hand duct taped a sign to the back window of the truck the read: "JUST MARRIED!", along with tin cans tied to strings that had been tied to a small board and closed in the truck's tail gate. Jim and Leonard had laughed at the sight. Pavel could tell Joanna was tired. It wasn't very late, ten o'clock las time he checked, but she had probably been up most of the night, bustling with excitement. It was a good thing he was the one who would be driving back them back to the ranch.

Arriving at the truck doors, both Leonard and Jim turned to Pavel and Joanna. Leonard gripped Joanna's shoulders as he adressed them both, "Okay, you two, you have our cell numbers, if you need to call the hotel the number's on the fridge with the emergency numbers, our room number's on there with it. I just went to the store so the fridge should be fully stocked... Unless Jim woke up last night for a midnight meal again," he turned to scowl playfully at a laughing Jim before turning back to them, "I've asked Uhura, Spock and Sulu to come over and check on you during the week, I've left their numbers on the fridge, too, as well as Scotty and Carol's. If you need them, Christine and M'Benga's cell and home phone numbers are on the emergency list. Oh, and Jo, your mother and step-father's numbers are on there as well-"

"Bones, alright already!" Jim remarked, provoking a glare from Leonard and a laugh from Joanna, "Numbers are on the stocked fridge, fire extinguishers are by the fireplace, they'll keep each other alive and safe, adults are coming to make sure they don't murder somebody and bury them out in the yard together, they get it!"

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Oh, shut it, you infant," he turned back to Joanna, "you're sure you're gonna be alright?"

"Yes, Daddy, don't worry," she giggled, kissing his cheek, "relax, have fun. We'll be fine, and we have half the state to call if we're not,"

Leonard hesitated before smiling at her again, "Right,"

Joanna wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her into a hug before releasing her and moved onto Pavel, placing a hand on his shoulder as Joanna pounced on Jim as he laughed and kissed her cheek, Joanna returning it affectionately, "Take care of her," Leonard told him.

Pavel nodded, "I will, sir,"

Leonard nodded back, "Thanks, Pavel," Pavel nodded again, before smiling.

Joanna and Jim separated and Pavel shook Jim's hand before Pavel led her away as Jim and Leonard climbed into the truck and started it up. They all waved good bye to each other as Jim and Leonard pulled out of the church parking lot, turning the right at the corner, and then shortly disappearing.

Turning to Joanna, Pavel draped his jacket around her shoulders and opened the other truck's door for her and helped her inside. He entered the truck himself and started it up, Joanna hopping to the middle seat and snuggling up to Pavel as close as possible, while keeping safety in mind. He asked her if she was ready to go home, and she nodded. Pavel smiled and pulled the truck out of the church parking lot, turning left to get home. Joanna fell asleep almost immediately, Pavel felt, rather than heard, her breathing slow down. It was hard to hear much of anything over the old truck's loud engine. Pavel purposefully drove as slow as legally possible, so Joanna could rest a bit.

-~-

They reached the ranch 15 minutes later than they normally would, and once Pavel had parked the truck and switched off the engine, he gently called Joanna's name to wake her. She slowly stirred and he watched as she blinked her eyes open, smiling sleepily once she met his eyes, and he smiled back. She reached her hand up and cupped the back of his neck, slipping his fingers into his hair, and pulled his head down to hers. He met her half way in a long, sweet kiss. When Pavel pulled back, smiling, he could see the kiss had woken Joanna up, and, to be honest, it woke him up, too. Excitement and desire slowly bubbled up into his gut and her eyes traveled slowly up and down his face.

"I've been waiting all night to do that, you know?" she whispered, and he smiled wider, shaking his head before whispering he had, too. She had giggled quietly before he captured her lips again, the kiss deep and passionate, with his hands sliding slowly down her body to rest at her hips. He took a chance and slid his tounge out to lick her lips, smiling at her quiet gasp of pleasure, and taking the opportunity to explore her mouth further. They broke apart for air, and Joanna took the opportunity to climb atop Pavel's lap. He couldn't help but laugh at her sudden eagerness. They had made out the past two months, yes, but it had never been this heated, and they had only just begun.

Pavel theorized it was because they only had ten days before Joanna went back to Georgia, and three of those days Jim and Leonard would be at the ranch. It also could be that Pavel was going to University in the fall, and he wasn't quite sure yet whether he would be back at the ranch the following summer, he just hoped he would. It also may be that Joanna was turning 18 in the spring, and she had told him she was planning on moving out of Georgia, she just wasn't entirely sure yet. Or, of course, it could also be that she was seventeen and he was nineteen, and virgin hormones mixed with the small amounts of champange Pavel had consumed during the reception, and the even smaller amount Jim had snuck Joanna from his glass while her father wasn't looking was a bad combination. But, in any case, things were getting very heated, very quickly.

Pavel was feeling up her back and to her shoulders, wanting to feel more of her, and Joanna began stripping away Pavel's jacket, which she had put on fully just before she stepped into the truck. She got her arm caught in the sleeve and tried to shake it off while not paying any attention at all to what she was doing-her tounge and Pavel's own were currently battling in each other's mouths-and caused herself to jerk her elbow back in desperation to get the darned thing off, accidentally beeping the truck's horn loudly, startling them both. They paused, regaining their breath and looking at each other before bursting into laugher.

Once they had stopped laughing and their breathing had almost returned to normal, Pavel looked into Joanna's eyes, taking a breath to calm himself before asking, "Would you like to come up to zhe loft wees me?"

Joanna smiled and hesitated for just a moment before saying, "Yeah, of course I would,"

Pavel smiled widely at her, blood rushing to his ears as she slid off his lap and he opened his door, holding out a hand to Joanna to help her down. He took her hand in his own and they began walking to the barn, Joanna swinging their joined hands back and forth, like the first day she had arrived that summer. He led her through the barn-Joanna blowing a kiss to her horse, Saturn as they went-to the back, where the hardwood stairs led up to a hallway. The door to the right led to the loft in which Pavel slept, and straight ahead, the hay loft, where they stored all the hay for the horses. Pavel held open the loft door for Joanna as she entered the loft. She had been inside it with Pavel before, just not at all under the same circumstances.

He led her over to his bed, helping her take his jacket off her shoulders and draping it over the same wooden chair it had been over before he left that afternoon. He walked to the far North wall and opened the big loft door, that began from the floor of the loft and ran 7 feet up from there, taking a moment to observe the stars before turning back to Joanna. She sat down on the bed and removed her shoes, Pavel chuckling at the quiet sigh of relief she emitted once they were off. She smirked back up at him once she straightened out, and he smiled back at her, stepping forwards and pushing her back farther onto the bed by her hips, crawling to where he was hovering over her.

Their lips and tounges joined again as Joanna began unbuttoning Pavel's vest and dress shirt, then separating for a moment as Pavel fully removed them and tossed them aside. He began kissing Joanna again as he snaked his arms around the back of her dress to unzip it, taking a moment to feel the skin of her back like he had wanted to hours before when she had asked him to zip it up for her, before gently pulling her dress away from her skin. She was wearing no undergarments beneath her dress, and he near fainted at the sight of her beautiful bare body. He could feel his face and ears burn and Joanna laughed, cupping his cheeks and kissing him sweetly. She reached down and unbuttoned his pants, Pavel helping her remove them, tossing his slacks, boxers and socks along with her dress in the general direction he had tossed his shirt and vest. Both completely naked now, they held each other close, relishing in the feeling of bare skin on bare skin and listening to the songs of the crickets, the occasional horse whinnying, and the melodic sounds of their breathing, which gradually got faster and faster, mixing with moans and occasional whimpers and pleas, and then slower and slower, mixing with endearments and whispers as the still darkness surrounded them, the only light given to them by the stars above.

-~-

Pavel woke up late the next morning, his sore, bare limbs impossibly tangled up with Joanna's, her head resting comfortably on his chest. He woke up only a little while before she did, and he was glad for that. He watched as her eyelashes gradually fluttered open, the light replacing the tired darkness of her light blue irises. He smiled, "Good morning, моя любовь,"

Joanna smiled back at him and whispered, "Good morning,"

They laid in bed for a while longer, enjoying each other's closeness and synchronised breath and heartbeats before Pavel slipped on jeans and a T-shirt, then helped Joanna back into her dress before heading to the main house. Joanna changed clothes upstairs before coming back down to help Pavel make pancakes in the kitchen. After eating breakfast and cleaning up the huge mess they had made (Pavel had smeared a handful of flour on Joanna's cheek, and it all escalated from there), they showered (Together, to "save water"), and Joanna changed clothes again while Pavel ran back over to the loft and grabbed another pair of clothes (Which he waited to change into until she was in front of him).

They sat on the couch watching TV for about half an hour, until Spock's car pulled into the dirt "driveway", which was really more dirt than it was a driveway. Pavel ran to open the door for them as Uhura and Spock came up with giant paper bags in their arms. Joanna pointed them to the kitchen as Uhura began cheerfully, "Good morning, you two,"

"Mornin' Nyota, mornin' Spock," Joanna called after her, Spock nodding as good-naturedly as he was able to as he set the bags down on the kitchen island, "Y'know, you guys really didn't have to buy us groceries, Daddy stocked it up just a few days ago,"

"I know, he told me before he took off, but you guys are teenagers, and I know just how hungry teenagers can get, I went to college with you new step-father, after all, Jo," Uhura countered.

Joanna giggled and approached the island, beginning to help put the groceries away. It wasn't until Spock turned around from putting a jug of milk into the fridge that Pavel saw a look of concern and confusion (Or was it interest, perhaps?) cross Spock's face, "Joanna, what is that on your neck?"

Joanna's eyes snapped up to meet his and he motioned to her neck. Pavel stepped forward to get a better look at what he was talking about. On the crook of Joanna's neck, just above her clavicle, was a large bruise, and Pavel paled. It had gone unnoticed to both Joanna and Pavel because it hadn't cause her any pain to recieve. She had changed into a tank top after they had showered, allowing the bruise Pavel had caused by sucking on her skin the night before to become visible.

"Jo, what happened?" Uhura asked stepping around the island to get a better look. Joanna tried to pull away from her, trying desperately to make up an excuse.

"Uh, I-I, um, I... I accidentally snapped myself in the neck with a rubber band," Spock raised an eyebrow. Pavel nearly winced. That obvious lie was more of a question than an actual answer. Uhura gave her a confused look, and Pavel knew she didn't believe her. Uhura glanced at Pavel, and he knew he was screwed.

Uhura's eyes widened as Pavel winced. Her lips parted in surprise, looking at Joanna before looking back at Pavel. To be honest, he didn't really know why he looked so shocked. Based on their encounter the day previous when everyone kept assuming Joanna had helped Pavel pick out his suit, everyone had assumed they were together. Well, they were together, to be fair, but how fast could word truly spread in such a spread out little town?

Uhura regained her composure and cleared her throat, clearly trying to stiffle a smile as she said, "Right. Well you two, help us put away these groceries and then we'll be out of your way,"

Both Joanna and Pavel had resisted the urge to laugh at that, and did as they were told. Uhura and Spock left twenty minutes later, after asking twenty billion times if they were sure they would be alright, and checking to make sure they had Carol's, Sulu's, Scotty's, Spock's and her own number as well and Leonard and Jim's before saying goodbye, and Spock and Uhura left, Joanna and Pavel waving at them as they disappeared.

Pavel sighed and Joanna laughed as he closed the front door. Turning to Joanna, he asked, "What shall we do now?"

She giggled and tapped her chin and 'hmm'ed in a mock ponder, "I could show you my room," she offerd, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

He grinned at her, "I sink I would enjoy zat,"

She smirked at him and bit her lip playfully as she turned and sauntered toward the stairs, Pavel laughing and closely following suit.


End file.
